With health content booming on social media, experts and lawmakers are mulling regulation of social media influencers, prioritising ‘credible’ content creators. The intersection between social media and health is expected to be explored in the next EU mandate, with discussions already underway among policymakers, according to MEPs and stakeholders speaking on the sidelines of the European Health Forum Gastein (EHFG). Research published by the University of Vienna last November showed that social media influencers have become a significant source of health information for teens and youngsters.
The study surveyed 1,000 people aged 15 to 25 in Austria, with around 30% saying they follow so-called health influencers – those who make health content their primary focus. The study also found that roughly 30% of respondents had purchased a product recommended by an influencer for health purposes. A Digital Fairness Act is mentioned in the mission letter of the EU Justice Commissioner-designate, Irish government nominee Michael McGrath, aiming to tackle unethical techniques, including marketing by social media influencers that exploit consumer vulnerabilities for commercial purposes.
Mental health content is also experiencing significant growth, driving high levels of online engagement. “When we talked to influencers, they told us [mental health] is clickable content,” Kathrin Karsay from the University of Vienna, who participated in the research, said in Gastein. EU Health .